We are visiting Hobbs and decided we wanted some good mexican food. We checked out reviews and decided where to go. The first choice was closed for remodeling. The 2 down the block from there got bad reviews. So based on high reviews, we headed to El Caballero.
I have a pretty high tolerance for run down "hole in the wall" restaurants as long as the food is good. But when we pulled up, I asked my husband if he was sure we wanted to eat here. It seriously looks unsafe. The restaurant is in a dilapidated old motel (think 50's motor court but not kept up). It's in the front building right up at the road next to the office (which looks completely closed). We decided to brave it, mostly because we had already been driving around a while and we are fine with marginal neighborhoods as long as the food is good and authentic.
There are 2 parking spots in front. We turned in beside it and there are parking places in front of the motel rooms but we didn't want to take up anyone's space (although I'm thinking now that most people staying there don't own cars). So we turned around and backed out and parked behind the motel, where I wasn't certain that our car was safe or that we were safe walking back after dark.
But I had high hopes for the food based on the reviews.
The inside is just old run down diner, but clean. So we ordered. While waiting on our food, we got chips and 2 types of salsa. The green salsa was very good. The chips were not what I was used to. I think they were homemade but they tasted a bit stale.
The food came looking like most Mexican restaurant dinner plates, Rice, beans, and an entree. The rice was decent. The beans tasted like they had been in a refrigerator for several days. I ordered guisada based on a review that raved about it being the best ever. I've never had it before but it was not good. It tasted like Hormel canned roast beef and gravy with a little spice and way too much salt added. With less salt it would have been edible but not good. Just chunks of canned roast beef and gravy. (And maybe they made it homemade but it was not something worth ordering since there is a cheap canned product that tastes pretty much the same.) My husband ordered chicken mole. He's never had mole before but we were trying new things tonight. It was ok, not something either of us would order again. And like mine, his mole was almost too salty to eat.
Everyone raves about the service. The waitress was ok. She took our order without a lot of chatter. She brought our food. She refilled our drinks once. But that is the bare minimum that you expect from a waitress. There is nothing about the service to rave about. Just adequate.
Initially we planned to return for breakfast since that also got good reviews but we'll just have something at the hotel instead.
Everything was so salty that it was barely edible but even without the extra salt I think it would have just been mediocre food in a run down scary setting. I'd advise everyone to avoid it. read more